PSD - Grants and Initiatives

Grants and Initiatives

The Program Development Section works with police services and community safety organizations to plan and deliver community safety and well-being programs and grants, as well as to offer consulting services to community stakeholders. We also provide input to policy and legislative changes regarding policing, community safety and well-being, and road safety programming, as well as representing Ontario in the federal/provincial/territorial working group on community safety and well-being.

Provincial Approach to Community Safety and Well-being

Working with other ministries as well as policing and community partners, we have developed a three-phase Provincial Approach to Community Safety and Well-being. By educating and working with stakeholders, as well as developing provincial booklets, this approach helps communities address community safety and well-being on a sustainable basis.

Phase II

Phase III

This will help communities create sustainable plans for addressing crime and complex social issues on an ongoing basis. The framework also encourages communities to work collaboratively across sectors to identify and address local risks, with a focus on prevention and social development.

Guidance on Information Sharing

Guidance on Information Sharing in Multi-Sectoral Risk Intervention Models highlights a best practice for agencies and organizations from different sectors (e.g., police, health, social services, education, etc.) that are sharing information about an individual, family or group at serious risk of harm. The purpose of this information sharing is to reduce the likelihood of harm by connecting individuals to a service in the community. The guidance document was developed in consultation and with the support of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, as well as individuals who are involved in these discussions across Ontario.

Current Programs

Safer and Vital Communities Grant is open to community-based, not-for-profit organizations and First Nations Chiefs and Band Councils. Applicants partner with a local police service and organizations from other sectors to address local issues.

Policing Effectiveness and Modernization (PEM) Grant supports initiatives that improve the effectiveness, efficiency and modernization of policing services. The PEM Grant aims to provide greater flexibility to police services and boards to focus their funding on implementing initiatives that address local needs.

Proceeds of Crime – Front Line Policing Grant uses assets seized by the provincial and federal governments during criminal prosecutions to help the police carry out specific crime prevention projects in the community.

Constable Joe MacDonald Public Safety Officers’ Survivors Scholarship Fund was created to recognize the sacrifice made by our public safety officers and their families to keep Ontario safe, and is available to the spouses and children of public safety officers who have died in the line of duty.

Community Policing Partnerships Program provides increased community patrols and enhanced traffic enforcement as well as school outreach programs and drug and street-crime law enforcement. The program includes the Criminal Intelligence Initiative, which offers extra funding to small and medium-sized police services for criminal intelligence positions.

Safer Communities – 1,000 Officers Partnership Program provides funding for approximately 1,000 additional police officers across Ontario, where approximately 500 officers were allocated to six high priority areas of youth crime, guns and gangs, organized crime and marijuana grow ops, dangerous offenders, domestic violence and protecting children from internet luring. The rest of the officers take on community policing duties – street patrols, working in schools and traffic safety.

Hate Crime Extremism Investigative Team Grant supports a team of 14 municipal police services, as well as the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), who focus on crime involving hate propaganda, the promotion of genocide, hate-motivated crimes and criminal extremism.

Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet protects children from online exploitation, with the help of municipal police services, the OPP, crown attorneys, and victim service providers.

Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers Program is a partnership between the public, the police and the media that allows citizens to anonymously help the police solve crimes. Funds go towards operating an answering service that receives crime-related tips outside of regular business hours.